Google Glass. Gadget or Groundbreaking Gamechanger?

A wearable smartphone? The Comrades put Google Glass through its paces by testing founder Sergey Brin’s latest device to keep his company squarely in front of the public’s eye – literally! The result? A sleek modern fit that had each of our crew taking turns acting like cyborgs. Taking POV photos and shooting videos with a combination of voice commands and tap-tap-tapping on the frames got us thinking about the creative possibilities.

Comrade Web Agency loves emerging technology trends. One of the hottest gadgets to hit the market recently is Google Glass – a product which was mysteriously guarded during development.

Though it’s not yet easily affordable for the general public, we see that Google Glass will likely replace handheld cellular and GPS devices.

Recently, one of our technology partners, Intechnic!, invited us to provide our impressions of this breakthrough device. As fellow “Beta Testers”, we eagerly passed it around the office. Upon inspection, Google Glass enjoys a modern, sleek design and comfortable fit. The compact futuristic eyewear has an easy setup process that can be accomplished by anyone in minutes – even by people who are not “tech-savvy”.

Features we tested include:

Wireless capability and range

Taking photos

Filming videos

Google mapping

GPS functional accuracy

Next, we paired Google Glass with an Android mobile phone. Call quality was crisp and clear.

Google Glass users can either issue voice commands to take photos / videos; or use a hands-on approach by tapping on the temple of the eyewear. Picture and video quality were both impressive, while the ability to send instantly via gmail is a bonus!

Google maps was the coolest feature. You simply tell Google where you want to go, and a live GPS pops up; refreshing continually as you move toward your destination. Amazing!

Google Glass Negatives:

Response time(s) are a little slow; with occasional freezes

Voice recognition is imprecise. We had to repeat simple phrases to achieve accurate results

Overheating occured after about 25 minutes

Users appear to be staring blankly ahead when trying to get Google Glass’ functionality working properly. Driving with it would be dangerous!

Overall, Google Glass is an innovative, futuristic and fashion-forward piece of equipment with limited responsiveness and functionality. Using it in a practical day-to-day environment is not yet feasible.

Maybe in a few years we’ll see this technology blossom. Since Google was the first to innovate this type of product, we know that other companies will follow suit; and likely create refined versions that accomplish specific tasks for niche groups.

You can bet that Comrade Web Agency will be at the forefront to watch and experience this technology grow and improve as the world around us does the same. And we’ll be thinking about ways to improve our Clients’ appeal to customers, partners and the various audiences whose attention they’re trying to grab and hold. App development Chicago